For most homeowners, learning comes through trial and error – there is no way one can prepare for every scenario or be educated on all components of home maintenance, and thankfully, they don’t have to. We trust and hire workers all the time to fill specific needs in our personal and work lives depending on their expertise, and our lack, in any given area.
While how-to videos can be found with a simple search, we don’t always have the time, energy or skill to do everything for ourselves, and that’s when we know we need to call in the professionals. When it comes to plumbing, there are a few specialties that knowing about will help you hire better, so let’s cover that today.
The Difference Between Plumbing Drain Cleaning and Plumbing Repair Service
Plumbers come in two general categories: Drain Cleaning and Plumbing. Plumbers can perform drain cleaning services, but in most cases, it is not their specialty. Some don’t like doing it at all and won’t. Drain cleaning technicians specialize in sewer and drain clogs and do little to no plumbing. Here’s why that matters:
Plumbing
Plumbers require a license. They must pull permits, have advanced training, and may choose to specialize in a variety of areas such as plumbing repair service, remodeling work, new build plumbing structures, gas lines and more.
Plumbers can be commission based or earn hourly rates, and in the Denver metro area, the average, according to Indeed.com is $23.29/hr. for a Journeyman (the most common plumber, sandwiched between apprentice and master plumber).
Drain Cleaning
Drain cleaning technicians are not required to have a license in Denver. They aren’t able to pull permits, but they do have advanced training on drain cleaning techniques and tools. They don’t do repair work, remodeling work, gas lines or any other responsibilities of a plumber unless they are training to be one as an apprentice (or have chosen to specialize in sewers and drains as a plumber).
Their pay scale can also be commissioned or hourly, but is typically at a lower rate than plumbers. This is important to note as a homeowner because if you experience a clogged drain or sewer line, it is more affordable and more efficient to hire a drain cleaning technician over a plumber (in our opinion).
“If you experience a clogged drain or sewer line, it is more affordable and more efficient to hire a drain cleaning technician over a plumber”
Sewer Scope
Plumbers, drain cleaning technicians, and sewer scope professionals can perform a sewer scope or video sewer inspection. They are specifically trained to scope a line and access the information they receive from the inspection. If licensed to do so, they can quote you for a sewer line replacement, or they may refer you to a third party.
Garvin’s Sewer Service has been serving the Greater Denver and Boulder resident’s home and business plumbing drain cleaning needs for over 75 years! In order to best meet the needs of our customers, we also offer sewer scope and plumbing repair service.